“The month of Ramadan is the one in which the Quran was sent down, a guidance for mankind, clear proofs for the guidance, the Criterion; so whoever amongst you witnesses this month, let him fast it."(Surah al-Baqarah 2:185)

In this blessed month good deeds are multiplied:

The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said:“Whoever draws near to Allah during it (Ramadan) with a single characteristic from the characteristics of (voluntary) goodness, he is like whoever performs an obligatory act in other times. And whoever performs an obligatory act during it, he is like whoever performed seventy obligatory acts in other times.” (Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah, no. 1887)

We should thank Allah abundantly for giving us the opportunity to be able to benefit from such a blessed month. But as we all know life is very uncertain & unfortunately many will have passed away before the coming of this blessed month & so it may well be our very last Ramadan as we may not be alive to see the next.

Therefore we should treat this Ramadan as our last and do our utmost to ensure that we maximize each precious second in this blessed month to ensure that we gain maximum benefit from it.

The following are 12 ways we can maximize each precious day in Ramadan:

1. Purifying our intentions

"Verily actions are judged by intention."[Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

It is crucial that we purify & correct our intentions before doing any acts of worship. This is because we may have other underlying intentions in our hearts without even realizing it. Like for e.g. we may have in our hearts that we fast because we don't want to look bad in front of our family or friends or because others fast etc.

So before doing any good deed we need to align & focus our intention to ONLY pleasing Allah. By doing this we will increase the sincerity in our worship & acts of virtues & by having better intentions when doing any good act is a means of earning greater rewards for whatever good deed we are doing.

Ibn Al-Mubaarak said: "Maybe a small action is made great by its intention, and maybe a great action is made small by its intention."

Even daily routines like eating, drinking, sleeping, waking up, traveling etc can be a source of great reward by having the right intentions. Having good Intentions is easy & great rewards can be gained without making any hard physical effort. By just spending a couple of seconds having the right intention in our hearts we can turn a whole day to a day of worship. It is like turning dust into gold.

2. Schedule & Monitor Daily Worship

One of the best ways that we can maximize each day in Ramadan is to plan & schedule our time effectively. By doing so we will have clearly defined goals and targets which we can strive towards achieving each day. In this way we can also check & monitor our daily progress & make adjustments & improvements accordingly.

The following two downloads will help us to plan, check & monitor our daily worship throughout Ramadan:

There will be many things getting in our way & distracting us from our worship. But we must take all necessary precautions & measures in order to avoid any possible distractions.

The first thing we must do is to avoid major distractions like TV for a month or at least as much as possible. Putting away games consoles. If we meet with friends then not getting into useless & idle discussions. Not going to places like the mall or high street's unless it is absolutely necessary.

We must also not spend hours on end cooking a table full of food every single day for Iftaar for this is contrary to the purpose of Ramadan. We should spend as little time as possible on things other than worship. We should fulfill our daily duties as quickly as possible & spend as much time as possible in worshiping Allah.

4. Avoid eating excessively

Al-Hassan Al-Basri (RA):“The test of Adam (AS) was food and it is your test until Qiyamah.

Al-Miqdaam ibn Maadiy-Karib (RA) said: I heard the Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihi Wasallam) saying: “No human ever filled a vessel worse than the stomach. Sufficient for any son of Adam are some morsels to keep his back straight. But if it must be, then one third for his food, one third for his drink and one third for his breath.”(Ahmad, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasaa’I, Ibn Majah )

There is no doubt that excessive eating is not only a cause of many diseases but is also a major factor in stopping us from maximizing our daily worship.

Ibrahim al-Nakha’i (RA), one of the teachers of Imam Abu Hanifa (RA) mentioned:“The people ruined before you were done in by three characteristics: too much talking, too much eating, and too much sleeping.”

There is nothing worse than fasting the whole day & when time comes to open our fast we end up over eating until we can't move. Surely this will make us feel heavy & lazy in worship & make it harder for us to pray & to get up for Sehri.

Ash-Shafi’I (RA) said:I have not filled myself in sixteen years because filling oneself makes the body heavy, removes clear understanding, induces sleep and makes one weak for worship.

It used to be said:Whoever takes control of his stomach gets control of all good deeds.

Over eating goes against the very purpose of Ramadan which is to be moderate in eating & to remember those who have less than us. How can we remember the unfortunate if we constantly over eat before and after fasting?

One day, Al-Hassan (RA) offered some food to his companion who said:I have eaten until I am no longer able to eat.

To which Al-Hassan (RA) said:Subhaana Allah! Does a Muslim eat until he is no longer able to eat?

So let us control the amount we eat & instead have smaller meals. Have some fruit & dates for Iftaar then pray Maghrib & then have a small meal until we are satisfied. After Tarawee we can have another small bite to eat. In this way we are not over eating but spreading out what we eat. So we will not feel heavy or lazy but satisfied & full of energy which we can utilize for worship.

5. Recite the Qur'an abundantly

Ramadan is the month the Qur'an was revealed:

"The month of Ramadan is the one in which the Quran was sent down, a guidance for mankind, clear proofs for the guidance, the Criterion..(Surah al-Baqarah 2:185)

It is the month of the Qur'an so it should be recited in abundance:

Az-Zuhri used to say upon the coming of Ramadan,“It is only about reciting the Qur’an & feeding the poor.”

Abdur-Raziq said,“When Ramadan came, Sufyan Ath-Thawri would give up all acts of (voluntary) worship & devote himself to the recitation of the Qur’an.”

Outside of Ramadan there are 10 rewards for reciting each letter of the Qur'an:

Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alaihi wasallam) says: "Whoever reads a letter from the Book of Allah will receive a hasanah (good deed) from it (i.e. his recitation), and the hasanah is multiplied by ten. I do not say that Alif-Laam-Meem is (considered as) a letter, rather Alif is a letter, Laam is a letter, and Meem is a letter."[At-Tirmidhi, Ad-Darimi]

But in Ramadan ALL good deeds are multiplied by 70 or more. So for each letter of the Qur'an we recite we will gain 70 rewards or more. Can you imagine how much reward we would gain for reciting the entire Qur'an just once? How about twice? Subhaanallah!

Therefore we should concentrate most of our efforts this Ramadan in reciting the Qur'an. We should make a target of how much Qur'an we will recite each day. For e.g. 1 Juz (chapter) half a juz, 4 pages etc. We should aim to complete the Qur'an at least once by the end of Ramadan or as many times as we can.

Along with recitation we should also learn the meanings of what we are reciting & contemplate over the verses. We must try & implement what we learn into our daily lives. That is where the true reward is of reciting the Qur'an.

Note: We should try & recite Surah Ya-sin everyday particularly after Fajr time. We should also recite Surah Mulk before we go to sleep & Surah Kahf every Jumma. Other Surahs we should recite much of are Surah's Zilzalah, Al Kaafirun & Al Ikhlas

Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas & Anas Ibn Malik (RA) reported that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said,‘Whoever recited Surah Zilzilah (99) would get the reward of reciting half the Qur’an. Whoever recited Surah al Kaafirun (109) would get a reward as if reading a quarter of the Qur’an. Whoever recited Surah al Ikhlas (112) would get a reward as if reading one third of the Qur’an’.(At-Tirmidhi 2818/A)

6. Implementing the Sunnah into daily life

Following the Sunnah is a command from Allah:

"Say (O Muhammad to mankind): "If you (really) love Allah, then follow me (i.e. accept Islamic monotheism, follow the Quran and the Sunnah), Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."(Quran: 3:31)

Almighty Allah says: “There certainly is an excellent example in Allah's messenger for he who fears Allah and the last day and remembers Allah abundantly”(al-Ahzaab 21)

By following the Sunnah in every aspect of our daily lives, everything we do will become worship, even going to the toilet, having a bath, dressing & undressing etc.

Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said:“Whoever revives an aspect of my Sunnah that is forgotten after my death, he will have a reward equivalent to that of the people who follow him, without it detracting in the least from their reward.” (Tirmidhi)

The following free E book contains daily Sunnah's & dua's we can do from awakening in the morning up until going to sleep at night:

Download Beautiful Daily Sunnah's

7. Nafil (Voluntary) prayers

What better way of drawing closer to Allah this Ramadan than by doing voluntary prayers:

The reward for fard prayers outside of Ramadan is the greatest a Muslim can gain but in Ramadan we get the same reward for praying a Nafil prayer. Subhaanallah! What other time of the year are Nafil prayers rewarded equal to that of a fard prayer?

Therefore we should strive to pray as many Nafils as we can in order to get closer to Allah, gain the company of Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) in Jannah & gain the rewards of a fard prayer! So we should set ourselves daily targets of praying as many Nafils as we can.

The following are Sunnah & Nafil prayers we can pray everyday in Ramadan & throughout our lives:

Umm Habibah Ramilah bint Abu Sufyan (RA) narrated she heard the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) saying:“A house will be built in Paradise for every Muslim who offers twelve units of Prayers other than the obligatory ones in day and night, to seek pleasure of Allah.” (Muslim)

2. Salaatul Duhaa (Can be prayed from 20 mins after sunrise up until 20 minutes before Dhuhr begins)

So we should remain seated after Fajr prayer & recite the Qur'an or do Dhikr up until 20 minutes after Sunrise and pray Salaatul Duhaa. If not then we can pray it anytime before midday.

The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) is reported to have said:Whoever prayed twelve rakaats (before midday), then Allah will, as a reward, prepare a palace of gold for him in Paradise. (Mishkat, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah)

3. 4 Sunnah, 2 Sunnah & 2 Nafil of Dhuhr

Umm Habibah (RA) narrated that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said:“Whoever sticks to the habit of offering four rak`ahs before Noon Prayer and four rak`ahs after it, Allah will shield him against the Hell-Fire.”(Abu Dawud & At-Tirmidhi)

4. 4 Raka'ahs Sunnah of Asr

The Prophet (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi wa sallam) said: "May Allaah have Mercy on the one who offers four (Raka'ahs) before 'Asr prayer."(Abu Dawud)

5. Two Raka'ahs Sunnah after entering Masjid

Abu Qatadah (RA) narrated the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) as saying:“If any one of you enters a mosque, he should pray two rak`ahs before sitting.” (Al-Bukhari & Muslim)

6. Tahiyyatul Wudu - 2 Raka'ahs Sunnah after doing Wudu (Ablution)

Abu Hurayrah (RA) reported the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) saying to Bilal (RA):“Tell me about the best of your deeds (i.e. one which you deem the most rewarding) since your embracing Islam because I heard your footsteps in front of me in Paradise.”Bilal (RA) replied: “I do not consider any act of mine more rewarding than that whenever I make ablution at any time of night or day, I perform Prayer for as much as was destined for me to do.”(Al-Bukhari & Muslim)”

7. The MOST REWARDING Nafil Prayer of all is Tahajjud

Allah Most High said: “Establish worship at the going down of the sun until the dark of the night, and (the recital of) the Qur’an at dawn. Lo! (the recital of) the Qur’an at dawn is ever witnessed. And some part of the night awake for its recital, as voluntary worship for you. It may be that your Lord will raise you to a praised estate.”(Qur’an, 17: 78-79)

Imam Abu Sa'id al-Khadimi said,

"There is scholarly consensus (ijma`) that among the best of virtuous acts is the night vigil prayer."[al-Bariqa al-Mahmudiyya Sharh al-Tariqa al-Muhammadiyya]

The scholars derived the following in regards to Tahajjud from the Qur'an and prophetic Hadiths:

2. Its optimal recommended amount is 8 Rakaats, because this was the general practice of the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) [Hindiyya, quoting Fath al-Qadir]

3. Lengthier recitation of Qur'an is superior to a larger number of Rakaats prayed. [Durr al-Mukhtaar, Radd al-Muhtar]

If one has not memorized much of the Qur'an then one should recite whatever they know or recite Surah Ikhlas 3 times after Surah Faathiha in each rakah to gain reward of reciting entire Qur'an.

4. It is recommended to start the night vigil with two short Rakaats, because of the Hadith of Abu Hurayrah (RA) that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said, "If you get up for night prayer, start with two short Rakaats." [Muslim, Ahmad, Abu Dawud]

During Ramadan we should aim to pray Tahajjud every night. We can do so by awakening a little earlier for Sehri, making Wudu & praying a minimum of 2 Raka'ahs, but best to pray 8 Raka'ahs.

Abu Hurayrah (RA), related that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: When the last one-third of the night remains, our Lord, the Glorious One descends towards the heaven of the earth and proclaims: Who is that who supplicates for Me, and I grant his supplication? Who is that who begs Me for anything and I grant it to him? And who is that who seeks My forgiveness, and I forgive him?(Bukhari, Muslim).

So the last third part of the night is the most blessed & dua's are readily accepted at this time. Therefore by praying Tahajjud it gives us the best opportunity to get closer to Allah & to make sincere dua, repenting for our sins past and present & to crying & asking of Allah for whatever we want.

If we cannot cry due to the hardness of our hearts then we should at least make the face as if we are crying. Just as a mother tends to her baby quicker & more promptly when it is crying in the same way Allah tends to his servants quicker when they are crying.

Mu`adh Ibn Jabal (RA) said that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said:"The People of Paradise will not regret anything except one thing alone: the hour that passed them by in which they made no remembrance of Allah." Narrated Bayhaqi in Shu`ab al-iman (1:392 #512-513)

The highest rank in Jannah are for those who remembered Allah the most:

Abu Sa`id (RA) narrates the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) was asked,"Which of the servants of Allah is best in rank before Allah on the Day of resurrection?" He said: "The ones who remember him much."I said: "O Messenger of Allah, what about the fighter in the way of Allah?" He answered: "Even if he strikes the unbelievers and mushrikin with his sword until it broke, and becomes red with their blood, truly those who do Dhikr are better than him in rank." (Ahmad, Tirmidhi, & Bayhaqi)

Therefore we should remember Allah as much as we can & glorify him night & day, not just in Ramadan but until our very last breath. What better time to start remembering Allah more than in this most blessed month.

So we should set ourselves daily targets of doing as much Dhikr as we can. We can remember & glorify Allah whatever we are doing throughout the day. At work, whilst cooking, shopping & even whilst relaxing. We should remember Allah in our heart's & not just by our tongues. We should also contemplate over his magnificence & his creations & imagine him in front of us as we glorify & remember him.

The following are 10 Dhikr, supported by Hadith that we can recite throughout the day & night in Ramadan until our last breath:

Note: We should try & aim to recite each of these 10 Dhikr a 100 times each which makes a total of 1000 a day minimum.

Many of us rush our Dua’s & quite often our hearts are not present whilst we are making dua to Allah. That is why we lose out on much of the benefits & blessings of Dua. Therefore we should not let our minds wonder whilst in Dua & we should concentrate more, making sure our hearts are present whilst asking of Allah. Whilst we are in dua we should imagine Almighty Allah in front of us & so we should humble ourselves in front of him in a state of meekness & humility.

It may also help if we made a list of what we want to ask Allah during our dua’s. We can then refer to this list as a reminder so that we can cover everything we need to ask him, which may help in making our Dua’s longer & more sincere. This is because we will not always remember everything we want to ask Allah unless we note it down & refer back to it when we need to.

The times when Dua's are most accepted during Ramadan are:

1. The third portion of the night shortly before sehri ends. 2. Whilst fasting. 3. Between Asr & Maghrib. 4. Just before fast opens. 5. On Jumma before & after khutba. 6. Between Adhan & Iqamah. 7. Whilst raining. 8. After Qur'an recitation. 9. The Night of Qadr

Let us not be of those who pass by Ramadan without gaining any forgiveness:

Rasullullah (sallahu’ ‘alaihi wasallam) said: ...the angel Jibra’il appeared before me and said: Destruction to him who found the blessed month of Ramadan and let it pass by without gaining forgiveness...’ Upon that I said: ‘Amin.’ (Al-Bukhari, Al-Tabrani)

We should ask of Allah to accept all of our good deeds & efforts throughout Ramadan & be hopeful that Allah will accept it from us. We should also have FULL hope that Allah will accept our Dua’s if not in this world then in the hereafter. We should accept his decree for he knows best in all matters.

10. Behaving in the best of ways & controlling our tongues

Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alahi Wasallam) used to say: “The best amongst you are those who have the best manners and character.”(al-Bukhari)

Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) had exemplery manners & was the best towards others. Surely he is the best example for us to follow & so we should also do our utmost to behave in the best of ways towards others and show exemplery manners like he did.

Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said:“There is none heavier in the scales of the Hereafter than good character (Tirmidhi & Abu Dawud).

Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) also said:“The best loved by me and the nearest to me on the seats on the Day of Resurrection are those who have the best manners and conduct amongst you, who are intimate, are on good terms with others and are humble, and the most hated by me and who will be on the furthest seats from me are those who are talkative and arrogant.”(Tirmidhi)

So if good character & manners are the heaviest on the scales in normal times then can you imagine how much more heavier they will be if we behave with good character and manners during the blessed month of Ramadan?

So let us be the best towards our parents & family, towards our friends & those we know & don't know. Let us be the best towards all Muslims and non Muslims alike.

Controlling our tongues

Ramadan is a time where we must control our desires (nafs) as well as our tongues:

Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said:“Fasting is not (abstaining) from eating and drinking only, but also from vain speech and foul language. If one of you is being cursed or annoyed, he should say: ‘I am fasting, I am fasting.”(Ibn Khuzaimah, Ibn Hibban)

Therefore we must protect our tongues at all times from vain speech and foul language. Protecting the tongue is preventing it from lying, back-biting, slander, tale-carrying, false speech and other things that have been forbidden in the Qur’an & Sunnah.

Those who control their tongues are of the best of Muslims:

The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) was asked:“Which Muslim is best?”He responded,“One who the other Muslims are safe from his tongue and his hand.”(Tirmidhi, #2504)

So how can we begin to control our tongues? This can be done by “THINKING BEFORE SPEAKING”.

We must not talk without even thinking about what we are going to say. Therefore before we saying anything we should always think whether or not what we are going to say is going to please or displease Allah.

If in doubt whether or not what were about to say will anger or displease Allah then we should just refrain from saying it altogether. If we have nothing good to say then surely it is better NOT to say anything at all.

Remember: We WILL be accountable for everything we said in our lives & so we MUST start taking responsiblity for what comes out of our mouths NOW otherwise we will regret it later when it is too late.

Therefore we must get into the habit of:“Thinking before speaking”.

REMEMBER:If we do not control our tongues then our fasts will be in vain:

Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said:“Allah does not need the fast of one who does not abandon false speech or acting according to his false speech.”(Sahih Bukhari)

11. Worship the last 10 nights of Ramadan & I'thiqaaf

Increasing worship in the last ten days of Ramadan:

Allah's Messenger used to exert himself in devotion during the last ten nights to a greater extent than at any other time."(Muslim).

Aisha (RA) reported: With the start of the last ten days of Ramadan,the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) used to tighten his waist belt (i.e. work harder) and used to pray all the night, & used to keep his family awake for the prayers.(Bukhari)

The Night of Qadr

So valuable is the Night of Qadr that the Quran devotes a special surah to it: “Lailatul Qadr is better than a thousand months”[97:3]

This one night surpasses the value of 30,000 nights. The most authentic account of the occurrence of the Night indicates that it can occur on any one of the last ten, odd numbered nights of Ramadan, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29. It may also occur on any of the even nights.

Therefore we should strive to stay up on all of the last 10 nights of Ramadan. If we can't do that then at least on the odd numbered nights of the last ten days. If we still can't manage that then let us pray on whatever nights we can, at least on the 27th night.

If we pray on all of the last ten nights then we have a far better chance of catching this most powerful night & gain the rewards of over 83 YEARS OF WORSHIP! Subhaanallah! Most of us will not even live upto such an age!

Aisha (RA) said: I asked the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam): 'O Messenger of Allah, if I know what night is the night of Qadr, what should I say during it?'He said Say:

"Allahumma innaka 'afuwwun tuhibbul 'afwa fa'fu 'annee

Trans: 'Say: O Allah, You are pardoning and You love to pardon, so pardon me.' " (Ahmad, Ibn Majah, and Tirmidhi).

Therefore we should increase our worship on the last ten days and nights of Ramadan & recite even more Qur'an, pray more Nafils, do more dhikr and make longer & more sincere dua's to Allah repenting remorsefully for our past & present sins, hopeful for mercy & forgiveness. We should also thank Allah abundantely.

Performing I'tikaf on the last 10 days of Ramadan

Aishah (RA) reported that the Prophet (Salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam):"Used to perform i'tikaf in the last ten days of Ramadan until Allah the Mighty and Majestic, took him."(Bukhari & Muslim)

Abu Said reported that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said:"Whoever makes I`tikaf with me is to make I'tikaf during the last ten [nights]." (Bukhari)

I`tikaf is worshipping Allah in seclusion in the Masjid or for women in her designated place at home. It is done with the intention of becoming closer to Allah. If we cannot manage all 10 days then we can do I'tikaf for however many days we can manage. The more the better.

Each time we are in the Masjid or for a women in her designated place at home, then we can make intention of Nafil I’thikaf and gain reward for the duration of our stay in the Masjid or for women in her designated place at home even if it is for a very short while. A woman can also do I'tikaf whilst she is on her menses by remaining at her designated place at home doing dhikr etc

12. Charity & Generosity

Ramadan is a time of generosity, giving & remembering those who have less than us. Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) became even more generous in Ramadan than he already was:

Ibn 'Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) reported:The Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) was the most generous of the men; and he was the most generous during the month of Ramadan when Jibril visited him every night and recited the Qur'an to him. During this period, the generosity of Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) waxed faster than the rain bearing wind. (Al-Bukhari & Muslim).

Ramadan is also time where we appreciate what Allah has given us so that we may be thankful to him. Ramadan is an Honorable and blessed month, & the rewards for generosity are multiplied in it.

The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam) said,“The best charity is that given in Ramadan.”(At-Tirmithi).

Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam) said,“He who feeds a fasting person will gain the same reward as he will, without decreasing from the fasting person’s rewards.”(Ahmad).

We should strive to feed as many fasting people as possible especially those less off than us & those in poorer countries.

Removing harmful objects from people’s way is also a charity: The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wasallam) said: “I saw a man enjoying himself in Paradise (simply) because he removed from a road a tree that used to harm people.”(Muslim)

Note: We should also give our Zakat in the month of Ramadan each year so that we can gain the huge rewards of giving Zakat in the most rewarding of months.

Therefore during Ramadan let us give as much as we can in the path of Allah & know that we will get SO much more in return in this world & the Hereafter. Surely in there hereafter we will regret that which we did not spend in the path of Allah.

Conclusion

My brothers and sisters what an amazing opportunity we have in this blessed month to gain such closeness to Allah as well as his mercy & forgiveness of our past & present sins.

There are immense rewards available for us in this blessed month if only we make the little effort required to gain them. Surely on the day of judgment we will BEG each other for just one good deed but we will not be able to get anything as we will all be in desperate need on that day.

Therefore the time to prepare for the Hereafter is NOW as we may not have a tomorrow. What better time to make lifetime changes than to do so in the most blessed of months - Ramadan.

May Allah enable us to maximize each & every precious second of Ramadan & may he make it a salvation for us in the Hereafter. Ameen

"Islam has been built on five [pillars]: testifying that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammed is the messenger of Allah, performing the prayers, paying the zakat, making the pilgrimage to the House, and fasting in Ramadan."
related by Bukhari and Muslim

Imagine you were given an opportunity to go through a huge shopping centre and grab whatever goods you wanted for a whole 30 days.

You can grab whatever goods you like for it is a free for all. People would go crazy to get such an amazing opportunity. Think about it a free shopping spree grabbing everything you can for a whole 30 days.

This same analogy applies to the blessed month of Ramadan. We have a once in a year opportunity for just 30 days to grab as many HUGE rewards as possible and best of all an opportunity to please Allah and get closer to him. This is the time of the year where all of this is made easier for us!

The Special offers are:

EVERY Nafil prayer rewarded like a Fard prayer!!!

Every Fard prayer rewarded like 70 fard prayers!!!

Every letter of the Qur'an rewarded a minimum of 100 good deeds and double for those who struggle reciting who get minimum of 200 for each letter!!!

EVERY good deed multiplied by 10!

So come on GRAB as many good deeds as you can before its too late. This may be your last chance to ever experience this blessed month for you may not be alive next year to benefit from these special offers ever again!

Surely on the day of judgement we will BEG each other for just one good deed but we won't get any because we will all be in need on that day. So grab what you can now before its too late!!!

At the end of every Ramadan there is always mixed feelings of loss that the blessed month has ended alongside the joys of the celebration of Eid. Then it gets to Hajj season and six months to the next Ramadan and we start fearing the return of the month of fasting. Rather than looking forward to Ramadan (and its blessings) we start to fear the long days, and the usual things like ‘how will we fast for so long?’, ‘I can’t go to work and fast, it’s just too hard,’ etc. In this article I will look at ways that you can start looking forward to Ramadan with such a passion that you will wish it was tomorrow In sha Allah!

We know that the Sahaba (may Allāh be pleased with them) used to start preparing for Ramadan six months in advance. If you can do that then that’s awesome. However, for many of us with busy lifestyles and the hustle and bustle of life, our priorities are not always right. That doesn’t mean it is too late. There is no doubt that we should be aiming to make the best of every act we do in Ramadan, and preparing for the blessed month will help us in multiple ways.

Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) said: “Whoever draws near to Allah during it (Ramadan) with a single characteristic from the characteristics of (voluntary) goodness, he is like whoever performs an obligatory act in other times. And whoever performs an obligatory act during it, he is like whoever performed seventy obligatory acts in other times.” [Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah, no. 1887].

The 3 things I recommend every year to prepare for Ramadan are:

Voluntary Fasting

Abu Hurairah (may Allāh be pleased with him) reported that the most the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) would fast would be Monday and Thursday. He was asked about that and he said: “On Mondays and Thursday Allah forgives every Muslim except two who have forsaken one another. He says: ‘Leave these two until they reconcile.’” [Ibn Majah].

Not that you need any more reason to do voluntary fasting but what is absolutely amazing is that modern scientific research is showing the benefits of intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting is basically the scientific name for fasting two days a week, or 3 days a month, or fasting every other day. Each of these are clearly set out within the Islamic tradition and it is wonderful that these practices are now being advocated by non-Muslims.

If you feel that doing a 16-hour fast is too difficult outside Ramadan at this stage, then I suggest you cut down on your food consumption for a few days a month so that you can prepare your body for the food reduction that will take place.

Giving Charity

This isn’t charity-giving in a conventional sense but working out how much you will give and planning it with your family- your spouse, your children, maybe others.

Prophet (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) when asked which charity is best, “He (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) said: Charity in Ramadan.” [Tirmidhi] and Aishah (may Allāh be pleased with her) narrated that “He (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) said: ‘Do as much of good deeds as you can, for Allah does not get tired (of giving reward) until you get tired. And the most beloved of deeds to Allah are those that are continuous, even if they are a few.’ [Nasai]

These hadiths remind me that even though we should give charity in Ramadan, rather than being overzealous and giving everything in the first few days or saving it all for the last 10 days of Ramadan, why not work out how much you will give and then split it over the 30 days? For example: My children have £30 to give in charity. Through the ‘charity planning’ meeting we discuss how they will give this out and they usually decide to give £1 a day. They can then give this to any cause they choose and it’s the small consistent act that has powerful impact outside Ramadan. Often they will make charitable donations outside Ramadan because the habit of giving was formed in Ramadan. Alhamdulillah.

The Power of Dua

Many of us know how to make dua but at the same time we have no idea how to ask Allah (glorified and exalted be He) for the things that we desperately want. We go on year on year, day by day making the same old dua for the same old things. If you want to turbocharge your life this Ramadan, this needs to change. You need to adopt a new dua habit In sha Allah.

Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) said “The most excellent worship is Du’a.” [Sahih Al-Jami', no. 1133]. And Allah (glorified and exalted be He) tells us in the Qur’an “And your Lord says, ‘Call upon Me; I will respond to you.’ Indeed, those who disdain My worship will enter Hell [rendered> contemptible.” [Qur'an: Chapter 40, Verse 60].

So why have we stopped asking Allah (glorified and exalted be He) for what we really want? In preparation for Ramadan I urge you to take some time out and dedicate it to working out what you really want from your life so you can strategically plan your duas this Ramadan. Don’t be shy of Allah (glorified and exalted be He), and don’t ask for a little. His bounty is huge and He can answer all your duas without diminishing his bounty.

Make this year’s dua planning session different to those you have done in the past by writing things down. Work out what it will look like when you have achieved it and also plan a few milestones.

Conclusion

If you are able to do these three things then In sha Allah this Ramadan will change your life. Many times I have read articles like this and then only put one of the recommendations into action or carried on without any change.

My suggestion to you, dear reader, is to take a few moments to reflect upon what you just read and think about how you can put this into your life. Remember it is small changes that are needed. There is nothing radical in these suggestions its just the impact is huge especially if you do all three… and I know this from personal experience!

[Following is an article based on the transcript of Shaykh kamaluddin Ahmed talk>

(O you who have believed decreed upon you is fasting, as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous, a limited number of days) (Al-Baqara 2:183-184 )

In the noble Quran the month of Ramadan is described as having limited, counted days.

In a hadith it is stated regarding Ramadan : “A month, the beginning of it is mercy, the middle of it is forgiveness and the end of it is protection against fire “

The first ten days, about which has been said that it is a Mercy from Allah All Mighty, has already passed. Now we are in the middle 10days which is for forgiveness from Allah All Mighty. But, the most special are the last ten days, because

They are deliverance from Hellfire They have the 5 odd nights They have the Night of Power

They have aitekaaf ( to retreat for a particular time period in the worship of Allah)

Maximum Grace, favor and Blessings of Allah All mighty is put in these last 10 days. So much so that this is a discussion among Scholars of Hadith on one hand and discussion among scholars of islamic spirituality on the other hand that the first 10 days of zulhijjah and the last 10 days of Ramadan – which of them have the most Grace and favor of Allah All Mighty. About the nights, there is no doubt that the nights of Ramadan have the most Grace, Mercy, blessings. As far as the days are concerned – which one has more that is difference of opinion – maybe the 10 days ofzulhijjah may have more Grace. Although, we are not trained to feel like that. Because, we feel Ramadan so much; most people hardly feel zulhijjah as such unless we are actually on hajj. [Thats to show one for future, since they are coming in 3-4 months that how much power those first 10 days of zulhijjah have - equal to or perhaps more than the last 10 days of Ramadan.>

1. ‘Itekaf

These last 10 nights, one should maximize by sitting in Itekaaf (secluding oneself in the worship of Allah All mighty). Ideally one should be sitting for 10-days Sunnah Itekaaf. If one cannot sit 10 whole days for Sunnah itekaaf because one is working or due to any other reason, one should try to spend the weekends in the Mosque. If one can’t spend 10, spend 9 days; If one can’t spend 9, spend 8 days; If one can’t spend 8, spend 7 ! If one can only spend the nights, spend the nights; If one can’t spend the nights, spend the days! However much itekaaf one can do in the Mosque, one should try to do it. One should try to spend the maximum amount of these 10 days in itekaaf, if one can’t spend all 10.

2. Night Worship

Those nights one should spend in worship as much as one can. Sleep after Fajr(morning prayer) or one can sleep one hour in the night if one wants to, but one should try to give life to those nights. One should be up in those nights – do some sunnah of qiyam ul layl, tahajjud salah [even if it means repeating the same 10surahs that one knows 2-3 times during one Rakaah , some long qiyam; some long rukuh; some long sajdah(prostrating) ; some long دعا(prayer) to Allah Allah mighty- one should spend in worship, those last 10 nights. As much worship as one can do – salat ul tasbeeh, anyqaza salah , Reciting Qur’an, seeking forgiveness for one’s sins, sending peace and blessings on the prophet (May peace and blessings be upon Him),muraqba (Remembering Allah Almighty in one’s spiritual Heart), any other masnoon aamaal (Recommended deeds), tasbeehaat- one should try to maximize.

3. Deliverance from Hellfire

The most important thing that one should do in these last 10 days of Ramadan: – is to get oneself saved from the Hell fire . This is through dua and through tauba (repentance). The whole month of Ramadan, but specially the last 10 days are for dua and tauba. Make as many dua as one can. Make as much taubah as one can.

One has to begin that by viewing self as worthy of hellfire i.e. we have actually become as such that we have earned the fire of jahannum due to our sins, due to our hypocrisy, due to our ungratefulness, due to our evil glances. So one has to feel that even the first 20 days of Ramadan weren’t enough to pull me out and I’m entering the 21st of Ramadan as somebody who is worthy of Hell fire. And if one feels like that, one has 10 days chance to put his/her plea in front of Allah Almighty to take them out from the Hell Fire , at least for the next year; Take their name off from the list of people destined for the Hell Fire at least for the next year.

Original recipients of this hadith were the companions ( May Allah Almighty be pleased with them all), That First ten days are a Mercy; second 10 days are a Forgiveness and last 10 Days are deliverance from the Hell Fire. The companions wouldn’t have thought that this must be for the later Muslims! That’s not how the companions were. Anything the Prophet (May peace and blessings be upon Him) said, they thought it was for them.These last 10 days are a test of one’s sincerity and perseverance. One should try to make as much dua for one another as one can, spend these last 10 days as strongly as one can.

The month of Shawwal is another test

When Allah Almighty takes Ramadan away. All the Satans are let loose; all the doors of Hell are opened again; normal routine goes back – one goes back to university; one goes back to work – everything goes back the way it was. No more fasting; no more taraveeh; no more dars. Everything is gone! that is a very big test. Infact that is the real test. The real name of the game, is out of the 12 months how one spends Shawwal (10th month of lunar islamic calender)- that may be based on how one spends Ramadan. But, one month that one wants to spend well, its Shawaal. Because that will be the month in which one either preserve or lose the light that one got in the month of Ramadan – specially those of us who will go back to universities and classes. One has to keep up his/her ‘amal, zikr(remembrance), Qur’an, salah (prayer). Ones who will go back to fulltime job as opposed to half time that is another big test for them.

That is why Prophet (Peace and Blessings be upon Him) made a Sunnah of fasting the 6 days of Shawaal. There are many reasons for it. One reason is that, when one fasts in Shawaal, it brings back all the memories of Ramadan. It brings the whole spirit of Ramadan in the month of Shawaal.

The last 10 days of Ramadan and the first 10 days of Shawaal - one should try to spend to the best of one’s ability. Then if Allah All mighty wills it and if one does that, it is enough to get isteqaamat (perseverance). isteqaamat (perseverance) means that one has a full tank and one keeps it full.

So, in the last 10 days of Ramadan, one fills up the tank. And if one spends the first 10 days of Shawaal keeping it full, Allah willing Allah All mighty will let one keep it full for the rest of the year.One just has to show 10 days of isteqaamat (perseverance), 10 days of husool e fayz (attaining Grace and Mercy), 10 days of hifaazat e fayz (protection of Grace and Mercy) and Allah All mighty will give one isteqaamat (perseverance). For only 20 days for 365 days in a year.

Then one should make a lot of dua and alot of istaghfaar (repentance) for deficiencies in the month of Ramadan and dua for acceptance that Allah All Mighty accept our fasts taraweeh, aitekaaf, dua and then one has to keep at it in the month of Shawaal; keep at it in the first 10 days of Shawaal. Allah willing, Allah All Mighty will have Mercy.

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